Doctor's Visit (Feb 2014)

Ok, so I went to see my doctor, Dr. K, on Tuesday.  I know I said I was going so I should post a summary.  Basically, it went exactly how I thought it would go.  I am going back for my follow-up appointment in 4 weeks, rather than my regular 3 months, due to the stressors that have loomed large over the past month or so.  At that point, I will hopefully be feeling better, but if not, she said she would likely recommend trying Lupron.  Lupron is a drug that essentially fools your body into thinking it has hit menopause.  I've avoided it and not wanted to take it due to the many horrible side effects (hot flashes, irritability, mood swings, mental breakdowns, any and all menopausal related side effects) I've read about, but Dr. K said she would feel pretty good about it now because it is always accompanied by hormone replacement therapies.  Also, since I have been getting a hormone injection already which lowers my estrogen levels, the change would not be as drastic as it would be normally.  Honestly, I still am not all that excited about the prospect and I would prefer feeling better in a month, but if she recommends it, I will probably do it.  I haven't regretted any course of treatment she has suggested/implemented so far so she's earned my trust.  Plus, pain sucks, so if I feel bad in another 4 weeks, I will probably be interested in anything.  Lupron is a federally regulated drug that I have to apply for through my doctor's office (or they apply for me) and I would need approval to start it.  I did not know that part until yesterday.  For now I just got my regular hormone/birth control injection.  That does sometimes help with pain management when it kicks in, probably at the end of the week.




We talked pain management a bit and adjust my meds very slightly.  Basically she wants me to take the least amount of acetaminophen possible (Vicodin and Oxycontin both come with acetaminophen), so we up the dosage of the accompanying medication (in my case hydrocodone) and I can break tablets in half to get a smaller dose.  If that's too vague, just believe me that it works out to less acetaminophen than the lower doses of pain meds.  I have no idea WHY the pharmaceutical companies keep attaching acetaminophen to everything, but they do.  I had read that they were supposed to lower the amounts in medications but so far I haven't seen it.  My other medication change is that she suggested I take 2 doxepin tablets at night, rather than the 1 I take now because aside from being a sleep aid, it is also a pain reliever, so Dr. K thought it might help me not have so much pain when I wake up.  We shall see.  There's a bit of trial and error to see what helps.  I just don't like sleep meds.  I don't like feeling drugged as I fall asleep, but I will give it a few nights and see how I feel.  If it's not a big change, I probably won't keep the increased dosage.

Let's see... we also updated my family history since cancer has appeared more predominantly on both sides of my family.  Other than that, it is just comforting to check in, make sure someone is aware of what's going on and monitoring the situation.  Dr. K has a very comforting presence, which I always appreciate.  And since with endometriosis there is often no firm answer as to exactly what is causing what, it is nice to get feedback from someone who knows a lot more than I do.  She does know her stuff, I have to give her that.  

I asked about the auto-immune component with endoM (how's that for an abbreviation?) and she said that doctors in this field are not sold on it being fully an auto-immune disease but that there may be an auto-immune component, as well as outside factors and something about a genetic component that went right over my head.  Dr. K usually says one thing in each meeting  that is beyond the scope of my knowledge and I always like it because it shows she keeps up on the current research and that she knows a lot more than I do.  Last time she was talking about a supplement I take that is supposed to help on a cellular/mitochondrial level...  I recognized words and concepts from freshman Bio that I haven't thought about in years, so at least I know she was still speaking English!

That's all for now...  Felt a bit better yesterday, but my back was pretty bad by the end of the day and today I had some pretty uncomfortable pelvic pain that was very stubborn.  I'll probably add a few stretches to what I usually do.  I am SO ready to go to the gym, I am finding pain very frustrating.  My aunt sent me a really thoughtful care package yesterday though which really helped keep my mood elevated.  I don't buy myself much beyond what I need for my health, so the little things bring me a lot of joy! (Thanks again, Aunt!)  My dad sent a package of one of my favorite coffees, which is always fun and smells great!  Thanks Dad!  And last week, I got a card from a friend that was for my mom and me... just reminding us to hang in there and that made my day too :)  Thanks friend!  Plus my mom is helpful daily even while she's waiting for her cancer removal so big shout out to Mom!  Small acts of kindness are just awesome... I would assume most of us with chronic pain or a chronic disease feel the same way.  I definitely do appreciate littler things for now.  

Everyone be safe in the snow please!!